Welcome Sharks Fans to another season of the
Pacific Division Power Rankings! I'm a bit late with this first edition, but I
wanted to give enough time for some clear trends to emerge. Boy have they ever!
While it may be early, every team has shown their strengths; and where they are
vulnerable. Time will tell if these flaws will become fatal, or if they can be
overcome, but for now it's clear that there are some issues facing each Pacific
Division squad.

#1 - Edmonton Oilers: Secondary Scoring

It's
finally happened. I'd like to welcome the Oilers to the top spot in the
Division, after nearly a decade of irrelevance. Nice to see you. Don't forget
to grab your gift bag from the table on the left.

The Oilers have been
propelled by an improved blueline, solid goaltending from Cam Talbot, and the
emergence of legitimate Top 6 scoring. However, they rely too heavily on their
big guns to carry them through a game. It's been working so far, but unless the
supporting casts picks it up, Edmonton will remain vulnerable.

LAST
RANKING: n/a

#2 - LA Kings: 3 I's

Honestly, it's a pick'em
between the California teams, but the Kings have been slightly better as of
late, so they get the nod at number 2. LA has been surviving without Jonathon
Quick and Marian Gaborik, which is their first problem: Injuries.

Missing key players has affected their ability to bring their A game ever
night, leading to inconsistent play and a lack of intensity. These are things
that will need to be cleaned up, if the Kings hope to stay in the Pacific
playoff picture long-term.

LAST RANKING: n/a

#3 - Sa Jose Sharks: Stanley Cup Hangover

Teams
that make the Cup Finals traditionally have a hard time at the start of the
next season, as they are plagued with inconsistency and lethargic play. Sadly,
the Sharks have fallen victim to the malaise as well, unable to string together
60 complete minutes on a regular basis. When they have though, they've looked
dominant, which is what makes this hangover all the more maddening. If, or
when, they can find consistency, San Jose will be a force to be reckoned with.

LAST RANKING: n/a

#4 - Anaheim Ducks: Age

Following their ouster
last playoffs, the Ducks decided to part ways with Bruce Beaudreau and opted to
bring back Randy Carlyle. So far the results have been mixed, with the Ducks
again leaning heavily on their core of aging star forwards. With precious
little depth scoring on the roster, these veterans will need to carry the load
all season if Anaheim plans on reaching the postseason. There's no way to turn
back time, meaning age will remain a concern for the Ducks all year.

LAST RANKING: n/a

#5 - Calgary Flames: Goaltending

Last year the
Flames goaltending was putrid, and that was a big reason they missed out on a
return to the playoffs. In the offseason they though to upgrade by landing
Brian Elliot, who was supposed to solidify their crease. So far that hasn't
happened. Calgary has allowed the most goals of any team in the league, which
is a sure fire way to end up at the bottom of the standings. Unless they can
find a way to stop the bleeding on their backend, it'll be another long season
in Cowtown.

LAST RANKING: n/a

#6 - Arizona Coyotes: Depth down the Middle

Previously, the Coyotes had been a team that lacked offensive punch, but made
up for it with a tight-checking defensive game. To do this they often iced a
veteran heavy roster that could be counted on to take care of things in their
own end. However, as they've been rebuilding, more and more young players have
found their way into the roster; many of them before they are ready to play at
both ends of the ice.

As a result, the Coyotes often can't score
enough to win a track meet, but their best players aren't good enough
defensively to eat big minutes. So, Coach Tippett has been forced to promote
checkers to Top 6 roles, such as by using Jordan Martinook and Brad Richardson
as his #1 and #2 centers. You just can't win like that; a reality which Arizona
is quickly awakening to.

LAST RANKING: n/a

#7 - Vancouver Canucks: Lack of Talent

Ladies
and Gentlemen, the Vancouver Canucks are a hot mess. After a disappointing
season which highlighted the need to get younger and faster, Vancouver went out
and signed some veterans to big money, long term deals. The result: this is a
team that can't score, play defense, or keep the puck out of their net. The
Canucks rank dead last in goals for (20) and have the worst differential in the
entire league (-14). Even worse, they're pushovers physically, having recently
been bullied by the Toronto Maple Leafs of all people. It's clear to just about
everyone not in management that Vancouver is lacking talent, and that means
things are going to worse before they get better.